But this year tour operators in-the-know, such as Denver based Africa Adventure Consultants, have exciting new safari options to share in the country of Zambia. Long passed over for the luxurious safari lodges of South Africa and the wide-open plains of Eastern Africa, Zambia is now coming into its own as a truly wild African safari destination. The country is home to the famous Victoria Falls, the rugged South Lungua National Park and up-and-coming Kafue National Park, the largest protected park in Zambia, and is predicted to be Africa’s hot new destination in 2009.

“Zambia is one of Africa’s best kept secrets,” says African expert Kent Redding, President of Africa Adventure Consultants, “it is less-charted territory that is still really wild. In the past few years we’ve seen a significant amount of investment in the safari lodges there, so the overall experience is quite comfortable and more importantly, free of the crowds that plague certain parts of Africa. I am confident that my clients are going to be choosing this destination for 2009!”

Leading a collection of new safari programs to Zambia for 2009, is Africa Adventure Consultants’ Animals in Action Safari.

 This adventure brings travelers face-to-face with Africa’s largest hippo concentration. Aside from some of Africa’s best wildlife viewing, travelers spend their days alongside true experts in safari guiding, conservation and African wildlife including Lex Hes: wildlife photographer and author of Leopards of Londolozi and many others, Michael Lorentz: naturalist and elephant conservationist, Phil Berry: former park warden and giraffe expert, Derek Solomon: seasoned safari guide and author, Manda Chisanga: knowledgeable guide and expert on traditional medicinal plants. This unique, one-time-only safari takes place in November 2009.

After returning from a recent assessment of Zambia, Africa Adventure Consultants’ Kent Redding has decided to add Lower Zambezi National Park to several existing itineraries for 2009.

This remote region is not only a great place for game drives but travelers can also take part in fascinating walking and most appealing canoeing, boating and fishing safaris. “With an expert guide and a cooler full of cold drinks, you can float down the Zambezi fishing for tiger fish, which can reach up to 15 pounds or more and are really great fighters. Otherwise, try for the smaller bream,” adds Kent Redding. “The Lower Zambezi is truly an inimitable experience.” Africa Adventure Consultants also plans to launch additional exciting Zambia-based itineraries in early 2009.

 Denver-based African safari expert Africa Adventure Consultants organizes safari adventures throughout East and Southern Africa, with destinations including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Victoria Falls and Ethiopia.

The company sells destinations they know personally and offer guests assurance of strong on-the-ground partnerships with only the best local companies. Africa Adventure Consultants supports a variety of African conservation organizations, community-based tourism programs and humanitarian causes. And now, the company runs a completely carbon neutral office in Denver and is further committed to carbon neutral safaris by automatically offsetting 50% of each African trip they sell as well as offering clients the opportunity to offset the remaining 50%. With an eye on personal service, the principals create carbon neutral safaris and customized trips for individuals and small groups.

To learn more, please call 1.866.778.1089.

SAVE 25% - Zanzibar & Zambezi Zigzag – 22-nights departing Dar for Victoria Falls 7th Dec 08.

Kick-off with 2 nights on the idyllic Indian Ocean beaches of the Tanzanian coast and 3 nights on the tropical island of Zanzibar, including a guided tour of Spice Plantations and a local lunch. From Tanzania, head to Lake Malawi, the world’s ninth largest, home to a greater variety of indigenous species of fish than any other lake. The lake serves as an important food source for the many Malawian villages scattered along the shore. The journey continues on to Zambia, and an opportunity to experience the prolific wildlife of game-rich South Luangwa NP during night and day safaris. The overland concludes with two further watery highlights, a canoe safari along the Zambezi and optional rafting and bungee jumping at Vic Falls.

The tour now costs just £394 p/p (normally £525 – saving £131 p/p) plus kitty $700 (~£388).

SAVE 25% - The Safari Experience – 23-nights departing Victoria Falls for Nairobi 14th Dec 08.

This tour combines all of the elements of the Zanzibar & Zambezi Zigzag but also includes a jeep safari in spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, wild camping in Serengeti NP and an overnight stay at Mt. Kilimanjaro, plus an opportunity to see a side of Africa well off the tourist trail, visiting small villages in the Usambara Mountains.

The tour now costs just £506 p/p (normally £675 – saving £169 p/p) plus kitty $600 (~£333).

Both tours include travel aboard Dragoman’s customised Mercedes-Benz truck, hotel and camp accommodation, all camp meals plus the expertise of Dragoman’s two person crew and local campmaster. Flights are not included but are available through Dragoman.

Dragoman
01728 861 133
info@dragoman.co.uk
www.dragoman.com

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of Fairmont Zanzibar, located off the coast of Tanzania, in the Indian Ocean. Fringed by uninterrupted miles of powder-white sandy beaches, the resort’s 109 rooms and suites are sprinkled throughout the property’s vast and lush tropical gardens.

Zanzibar’s unspoilt beauty and rich offerings ensure travelers enjoy a unique and enriching experience. One of Fairmont Zanzibar’s main attractions is its unsurpassed water sports facilities, providing windsurfing, boating, fishing charters, as well as a fully equipped dive center with a decompression chamber, one of only three in Africa.

Other amenities include two swimming pools, fitness and spa facilities and several restaurants and bars overlooking the Indian Ocean. Guests can also enjoy additional activities such as volleyball, mini golf, table tennis, darts and pool. In addition to leisure offerings, Fairmont Zanzibar offers a full range of business amenities including wireless Internet, business center, and meeting and banquet facilities.

Visitors wishing to experience the Island’s rich and colorful history can explore Stone Town, the cultural heart of Zanzibar and a UNESCO World Heritage site or tour a one of the many spice plantations or the Maruhubi Palace ruins.

Fairmont Zanzibar joins three Kenyan properties which were recently added to Fairmont’s East Africa collection: Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, complimenting the company’s African Safari offerings with a beach experience.

Project partners include IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) and Kingdom Hotel Investments (KHI). IFA HR is in the forefront of companies engaged in the development of tourism projects, hotels and resorts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is currently partnering with Fairmont on a number of properties including several on the iconic Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai; Fairmont Zimbali on the north coast of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa; and the three hotels in Kenya recently added to the Fairmont collection.

For a remarkable African overland, look no further - Dragoman Overland still have availability on November departures from Cape Town to Vic Falls or Addis Ababa to Khartoum. Trek in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains, overland into the immense 1km deep Blue Nile Gorge and visit the spectacle of the Whirling Dervishes, unique to Sudan, or boat safari through Botswana’s Chobe NP, meet Cheetahs at Otjitongwe in Namibia and quad bike through the dunes of the Namib Desert before soaking up the atmosphere in Cape Town – life-changing journeys await!

Deserts, Delta & Dugouts – 21-nights, departing Cape Town 23rd November 2008. (Trip code DDD148).

This action packed itinerary promises a comprehensive insight beyond just the highlights of South Africa. Explore Cape Town and its surroundings, the Cape of Good Hope and iconic Table Mountain. Journey through the Cape Province then cross the Namib Desert, home to extraordinary wildlife, including herds of Elephant, Zebra, Oryx.

 Visit a breeding ground for Cape Fur Seals at Cape Cross, then head off to one of the most stunning areas of Namibia, the wildlands around Spitzkoppe Mountain (1,987m). Continue north to the lush ecosystem of the Okavango Delta before jeep safaris in Chobe NP, famed for its huge Elephant population. Finally, explore the falls and gorges of the Zambezi River, canoe the Upper Zambezi or take a flight to see Victoria Falls in all its glory.

The overland costs £595 p/p plus kitty of US$550 (~£296) including transport aboard Dragoman Overland’s customised Mercedes-Benz truck and canoes, camping and hotel accommodation (80%/20%), all camp meals plus the expertise of Dragoman’s two person crew and local camp master.

Ethiopian Highlands & Sudan - 25-night, departs Addis Ababa 19th November 2008. (Trip code EHS48)

Overland journey following the Nile from Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa to Khartoum in Sudan. Expect few western amenities and likely deviations to the planned itinerary, all of which reflect the ‘otherness’ of this region of Africa. Step into a world of ancient Christian and Muslim traditions against a backdrop of memorable sights and sounds – the confluence of the Niles, Blue Nile Falls and Gorge, Gondar, the Grave Dancing of the Whirling Dervishes, Lalibela Churches, Bahir Dar, Axum, Lake Tana and the Monasteries and the stunning Simien Mountains National Park.

The tour costs £925 p/p plus kitty $320 (~£172) including travel aboard Dragoman’s customised Mercedes-Benz vehicle, hotel and camp accommodation (65% / 35%) all camp meals and the expertise of Dragoman’s two person crew and local guides.

International flights are not included but are available through Dragoman.

Dragoman Overland
01728 861 133
info@dragoman.co.uk
www.dragoman.com

Get to meet the locals with Gecko’s Adventures

African overland trips were pioneered by ‘entrepreneurs’ who threw 20 or 30 backpackers in the back of a Bedford truck and battled bad roads and border police for the length of the continent.

The ‘punters’ naturally did the provisioning, the washing up and all the other camp chores. Gecko’s has up-dated the overland epic, catering to the more discerning tastes of a new generation – while retaining the grass roots, budget-minded appeal of the old days.

The Gecko’s style of overland – showcased in the new 2008-2010 brochure – features custom-built vehicles taking a maximum of 24 passengers; a professional driver and cook plus a local leader who provides an insider’s insight into the journey. Better yet, the passengers don’t have to suffer cleaning or cooking duties.

Best of all, Gecko’s goes to many of the key game parks – such as Ngorongoro, the Serengeti, South Luangwa and the Okavango Delta - that other operators miss or charge extra for. Rather than having passengers carrying large amounts of cash to cover game park costs, the company includes these entry fees in the tour cost – yet their tour costs remain some of the sharpest in the market.

Geckos is the only overland company to purchase a complement of gorilla permits – which are limited in number - at the beginning of each season, giving travellers the best chance of seeing the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda.

The new Gecko’s African overland safaris start with the 25-day African Wanderer which travels between Livingstone (Victoria Falls) in Zambia and Nairobi, Kenya, via the lake and mountains of Malawi; and takes in the laid-back lifestyle of Zanzibar and some of the best game parks in Africa: South Luangwa, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.

This trip runs in both north and southbound directions.

The African Wanderer has departures year-round and costs $2695 plus a local payment of US$700, including transport (a combination of custom-built safari vehicle, ferry and 4×4 Land Cruisers); park entry fees, guides and most meals on safari.

At the top end is the epic 60-day Africa Encompassed, which begins in Cape Town and travels north-west through South Africa to the deserts and canyons of Namibia, to the salt pans and Okavango Delta of Botswana. From Livingstone (on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls), the trip continues through Zambia to Malawi and on to Tanzania and Kenya, taking in some of Africa’s best wildlife experiences along the way. The climax of the trip is the gorilla trek, where travellers have the opportunity of spending an hour with our closest relatives in the mountain forests of Rwanda.

The Africa Encompassed safari departs roughly monthly, year-round and costs $5585 including gorilla trekking permit, plus a local payment of US$1750, payable on arrival. This includes transport, park entry fees, specialist wildlife guides in addition to the cook, driver and local leader, camping equipment and mokoros (canoes) in Okavango.

The Gecko’s Africa range also includes overland trips and shorter safaris that can be linked together, as well as time out in Zanzibar and a Mt Kilimanjaro trek. For further information contact Gecko’s Adventures on 1300 854 500 or visit www.geckosadventures.com to download a pdf file of the new brochure.

Explore Egypt with a tourist guide

Hailed as “the travel service innovation of 2008″ by the Irish Times

OurExplorer facilitates with ease the on-line booking of professional tourist guides from all over the world. Save time and money while you explore your next destination with the wisdom and guidance of a local.

Have you ever thought whilst visiting a new destination, “I wonder where the locals eat, drink, fish, ski, shop or party?” OurExplorer suggests its time for us all to stop simply sight-seeing but rather start exploring with the local wisdom and knowledge of a professional tourist guide.

OurExplorer has launched a new travel concept in BETA, a user-rated tourist guide booking tool created exclusively for your personal travel needs.

As the global financial crisis still looms, OurExplorer can save travellers hassle and money by getting the maximum out of their overseas adventure with a private tourist guide.

Enjoy the insight of the best shopping and value for money dining experiences in a city, directly from a native. Some tourist guides are currently offering special discounted rates and free tour hours on OurExplorer.

OurExplorer promote professional tourist guides only. Pre booking, the traveller can view their experience, license, past client testimonials or even chat with the tourist guide.

OurExplorer launched in July 2008 with now over 400 private tourist guides covering more than 80 countries worldwide — making it the biggest professional tourist guide directory in the world and growing all the time!

Make your trip overseas unique and full of adventure.
You book your flight and accommodation on-line, why not your tourist guide?
Get a tourist guide for land (city guide, mountain guide) or sea (diving guide).

Purpose of OurExplorer:

1. To help tourist guides increase their income thereby benefiting the local community - especially those in poor countries e.g. Kenya, Mexico and Cambodia.

2. Increase cross cultural awareness and acceptance via direct connection with locals e.g. people in USA get the chance to understand those in Pakistan and Israel

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

“Less than 9.7% of overseas travelers interact in meaningful discussion with a local,” according to the Tourism 2020 Vision reported by WTO.

The IMF concluded in March 2007 that “direct support of independent local businesses when you travel has the most positive results on local economy”.

“Rather than just donating money, OurExplorer is a sustainable long term solution to help low income families globally,” said David Cunningham (Chief Exploring Officer).

In a long awaited move has Precision Air, Tanzania’s premier private airline, now added a second flight from Dar es Salaam to Arusha. The airline also announced extra flights to Zanzibar from Kilimanjaro International Airport and Dar es Salaam as well as more weekend flights to Nairobi. As Precision is preparing for the delivery of a second B737-300 they are now positioning themselves to aggressively compete in the market ahead of the expected market entry of new players and amid the ongoing revival of Air Tanzania.

The sudden departure of the Kenyan Finance Minister Amos Kimunya also led to the prompt abandonment of his proposals made during the annual budget presentation of adding Value Added Tax on tourism products like safaris.

The Kenyan tourism industry had taken exception to the tax plans, not only as the country is still under recovery from the post election violence, but also to keep the country competitive in its pricing for overseas tourists. With a global recession looming, this may affect the holiday pattern as disposable incomes shrink while the expense for fuel, heating and food has rocketed in past months and any price increase may keep tourists away or divert them to more affordable destinations. Hence, the tourism sector in Kenya had a good case for the scrapping of the tax proposals, which are expected to be formalized in parliament soon.

VoyageTrek Travel
Cliff Hawk
(206) 695-2915
cliffh@voyagetrek.com
www.voyagetrek.com

SEATTLE—VoyageTrek Travel, the free online travel directory that provides destination match-making services for travelers, announced that it is expanding its program to African safaris and Galapagos Islands adventure cruising. This unique company premiered the AdventureMatch matching service in March 2008. The program has been enthusiastically received by the travel industry.

Current match-making categories include tours to Alaska, select fly fishing lodges, and dude ranches throughout the Western United States. VoyageTrek Founder Cliff Hawk says tour operators are responding well to the new program and the company has had an easy time recruiting top new tour operators. Answering to its initial success and ongoing demand, VoyageTrek continues to expand its travel segments and commitment to helping people find their ideal vacation.

“By adding Africa and Ecuador as travel segments, we provide exceptional value to travelers interested in these areas,” says Hawk. “No one wants to pick the wrong tour operator, and on the other end, the tour operators who are providing the best tours in the business often don’t have a marketing budget or are only known by word-of-mouth so they need an easier way to find leisure travel customers suited to their services.”

As the leading customer referral and match-making program in the adventure tourism industry, VoyageTrek provides multi-category, customized match-making between high-end travelers and suppliers. For adventurers wanting to find their ideal Alaska tour, fly fishing, or rafting destination, as well as a dude ranch, safari or Galapagos cruise, they can do a search at www.voyagetrek.com and click on the “Get Matched Now!” button and program link.

For tour operators interested in the adventure match program, log on to www.voyagetrek.com/operator  or call Hawk at (206) 695-2915.

Baobab’s Nature Expeditions provide adventurous travelers with a passport to the planet’s most spectacular natural wonders.

On these trips, visitors will have enriching and illuminating encounters with nature, allowing them to experience the world from a whole new perspective. Baobab’s team of expert guides will take participants off the beaten path in to wild and wondrous places that are as inspiring as they are educational. With Baobab, people can discover the heart and soul of each destination firsthand.

Whether they dream of seeing the grizzlies in Glacier National Park, crave the experience of a close encounter with a giant polar bear, or desire to reach out and touch a grey whale, Baobab will show travelers the way to a new brand of experiential travel.

Baobab provides access to some of the most knowledgeable guides in the industry, and these Nature Expeditions are led by naturalists who are experts in their field.

Their passion for uncovering and interpreting the mysteries of nature is second to none. Baobab offers trips for those that want to experience the wonders of some of the last truly wild places on earth in areas like Antarctica, Asia, Galapagos, Latin America, and the rugged and remote parts of the northern hemisphere.

www.baobabexpeditions.com